Thaksin’s woes hurt poll bid
Thaksin’s woes hurt poll bidListen to this articleFormer PM Thaksin Shinawatra arrives at the Supreme Court to hear the ruling on his controversial stay at the Police General Hospital. The court therefore ordered him to be transferred back to prison to begin serving the one-year term. The court found the prosecution’s evidence insufficient to prove Thaksin’s guilt. Thaksin’s supporters had hoped he would re-emerge in time to help with Pheu Thai’s election campaigning. However, with Pheu Thai’s influence waning and Thaksin once again entangled in legal proceedings, such hopes remain a pipe dream for the foreseeable future.
Source:Bangkok Post
December 30, 2025 01:52 UTC
PP leader hears fishermen's concerns
PP leader hears fishermen's concernsListen to this articlePeople's Party (PP) leader Natthaphong RuengpanyawutPeople's Party (PP) leader Natthaphong Ruengpanyawut visited Samut Sakhon yesterday to hear concerns from local fishermen and promote policies aimed at reviving Thailand's fisheries sector. He was joined by Natthaphong Sumanotham, the party's MP candidate in Samut Sakhon District 1, in discussions with the Samut Sakhon Fisheries Association. He proposed a Fishermen's Rescue Fund Act to subsidise wages and fuel costs, so vessels can return to sea and help stimulate the economies of fishing communities such as Samut Sakhon. The PP leader also criticised the handling of the invasive black-chin tilapia problem, saying enforcement has burdened legal fishermen while those responsible face no accountability. Mongkol Mongkoltrilak, president of the Samut Sakhon Fisheries Association, said the marine fisheries sector has struggled for more than a decade and called for further legal revisions and decentralised enforcement tailored to local conditions.
Source:Bangkok Post
December 30, 2025 01:50 UTC
Reignwood Group planning to zero in on Thai returnees
Reignwood Group planning to zero in on Thai returneesListen to this articleSereno homes surround Reignwood Park's par-3 course. "A lot of Thai families living in places like the UK, Dubai and Hong Kong want to come home, and Reignwood Park has already caught their attention," he said, citing visibility from international sporting events hosted by the group. All units come with membership of Robinswood Golf Club, with Sonia buyers receiving a 30-year membership, while Sereno and Estate buyers are granted lifetime memberships. Development at Reignwood Park began five years ago on a 2,000-rai site along Lam Luk Ka Road in Pathum Thani, near Lam Luk Ka Khlong 11. Last year, the group opened KIS International School Reignwood Park on a 150-rai plot, investing 5 billion baht.
Source:Bangkok Post
December 30, 2025 00:42 UTC
Politics -- a year of turmoil and transition
Patriotism ran high during the latest outbreak of border conflict. PATTARAPONG CHATPATTARASILLThe political situation in 2025 was marked by conflict between Thailand and Cambodia, escalating into armed clashes. Domestically, Thailand experienced two changes of government before parliament was dissolved in preparation for the Feb 8, 2026 election. Former PM Paetongtarn Shinawatra apologises for the controversy stemming from the leaked recording of her conversation with Cambodian Senate President Hun Sen. Apichart JinakulLawmakers congratulate Bhumjaithai Party leader Anutin Charnvirakul on his election as prime minister. Chanat KatanyuFormer PM Thaksin Shinawatra arrives at the Supreme Court to hear the ruling on his controversial stay at the Police General Hospital.
Source:Bangkok Post
December 30, 2025 00:22 UTC
Early start for Bhumjaithai
Early start for BhumjaithaiListen to this articlePM Anutin Charnvirakul delivers his policy statement in parliament. Meanwhile, the former ruling force, the Pheu Thai Party, widely regarded as part of the old establishment, has appeared largely powerless to intervene, left watching from the sidelines. Political “big houses” across regions have begun switching allegiances en masse, trading their former party colours for BJT’s signature blue. In the Northeast, influential clans previously aligned with Pheu Thai have defected in droves. Even the Leenawarat family, long considered close to Thaksin Shinawatra, a highly respected Pheu Thai figure, has made the switch.
Source:Bangkok Post
December 30, 2025 00:22 UTC
Private credit: friend or rival of banks?
Private credit funds, by contrast, deploy committed institutional capital from pension funds, sovereign wealth funds, insurers and endowments. Bloomberg notes this sequencing across the US and Europe: private credit funds shoulder early-phase complexity, and banks later refinance with cheaper capital. Private credit benefits because banks:Provide natural refinancing exitsOffer operational facilities that complement private-credit term loansMaintain corporate-banking relationships essential for long-term support. Thailand's financial system should become stronger because two complementary forms of institutional capital -- prudential banking capital and flexible private credit -- operate together, each addressing different stages of the credit lifecycle. We are of the view that as Thailand's private-credit market develops, private credit will increasingly operate alongside banks.
Source:Bangkok Post
December 30, 2025 00:21 UTC
AI cyberthreats set to multiply in 2026
Listen to this articleArtificial intelligence (AI) identity threats, new insider risks from autonomous agents, and data poisoning will become the primary threats in the 2026 AI economy, according to global cybersecurity leader Palo Alto Networks. Palo Alto Networks revealed six predictions for the AI economy and cybersecurity in 2026. The first involves AI identity threats as flawless, real-time AI deepfakes or CEO doppelgängers making forgery indistinguishable from reality, said Ms Whitmore. While autonomous AI agents are the best solution for the massive cybersecurity skills gap, they also represent a dangerous new "insider threat". By 2026, the massive gap between rapid adoption and mature AI security (with only 6% of organisations having an advanced strategy) will lead to the first major lawsuits holding executives personally liable for rogue AI actions.
Source:Bangkok Post
December 30, 2025 00:21 UTC
Ageless Innovation taps elderly market
Ageless Innovation taps elderly marketListen to this articleAgeless Innovation, a US-based robotic therapy pet company, has entered the Thai market to capitalise on the ageing demographics. Under the agreement, SuanYai House is to introduce the pet products to Thailand. "We designed the Joy for All Companion Pets to support older adults seeking interactive companionship," Ted Fischer, co-founder and chief executive of Ageless Innovation Llc, told the Bangkok Post in an email interview. "Opportunities come from continuing to identify the needs of older adults," Mr Fischer said. The pet products are being utilised in therapeutic activities at the Dementia Day Center, King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital, Thai Red Cross Society.
Source:Bangkok Post
December 30, 2025 00:21 UTC
Call for digital rejig to unlock full benefits of AI
Listen to this articleThailand is urged to address structural bottlenecks to improve its digital competitiveness. Thailand needs to address structural bottlenecks to improve its digital competitiveness, create innovation and fully leverage the benefits of artificial intelligence (AI). The problems include low AI investment, a shortage of advanced skills and unfavourable regulatory frameworks. The country is still lacking innovations while also capitalising on AI technology at a slow pace. Part of the Thailand's decline in the IMD World Digital Competitiveness Ranking 2025 reflects its weak private investment in AI.
Source:Bangkok Post
December 30, 2025 00:21 UTC
Egat evaluating SMR, hydrogen fuel cell tech
Listen to this articleMr Warit said Egat has studied SMR technology from several countries, including China and South Korea. SMR ADVANTAGESWhile traditional nuclear power plants typically spark public safety concerns following the Fukushima disaster, SMR technology features a smaller reactor than traditional ones. Egat has studied SMR technology from several countries, including China and South Korea. He said South Korea is a good example of effective technology development, particularly SMR technology. Moreover, Kepco Nuclear Fuel is currently the only nuclear fuel manufacturer in the country that produces fuel cells for both light water reactors and heavy water reactors.
Source:Bangkok Post
December 30, 2025 00:21 UTC
Pine Wealth keen on overseas equities
Pine Wealth keen on overseas equitiesListen to this articlePine Wealth Solution Securities, a subsidiary of One Asset Management, warns of heightened volatility in equities in 2026, noting that the Stock Exchange of Thailand (SET) index could dip to 1,100 points if local political uncertainty worsens and border tensions with Cambodia persist. The specialist in individual wealth management recommends overseas allocation and structured products to preserve returns and mitigate downside risks from domestic factors. Piyatat Pasommanatsakul, head of investment strategy at Pine Wealth Solution, said the investment outlook for 2026 will be shaped by multiple global and local headwinds, including trade wars and tariff risks, geopolitical tensions, and domestic political uncertainty. Despite these risks, Pine Wealth Solution believes global equities can maintain an upward bias in 2026, though gains are unlikely to be as concentrated in US technology stocks as in previous years. Pine Wealth Solution continues to focus on personalised portfolio management, tailoring investment strategies to each client's objectives and risk tolerance.
Source:Bangkok Post
December 30, 2025 00:21 UTC
BLS touts tech funds with AI growth set to continue
Listen to this articleBLS recommends five high-potential investment themes for 2026: AI value chain, defence tech, quantum computing, health tech, and nuclear energy. The firm's wealth research team recommends a core-satellite portfolio strategy, balancing long-term stability with selective growth opportunities across five high-potential investment themes for 2026: AI value chain, defence tech, quantum computing, health tech, and nuclear energy. The first is the AI value chain focusing on large-cap technology leaders and companies entering new growth curves. Investors can combine retirement mutual fund (RMF) and Thai ESG funds to maximise deductions while building long-term savings. "Using RMF and Thai ESG funds together can significantly reduce tax liabilities while enhancing long-term investment outcomes.
Source:Bangkok Post
December 30, 2025 00:21 UTC
Clashes bring ties to new low
Clashes bring ties to new lowListen to this articleA protester holds a sign denouncing Cambodia’s claim on Prasat Ta Muen Thom along the Thai-Cambodia border. Back in February, a group of Cambodian tourists were spotted singing the Cambodian national anthem in Ta Muen Thom temple in Surin. The Thai government insisted its soldiers carried out the attack in retaliation after they were shot at by Cambodian soldiers, pushing bilateral tensions to a new low. In the following weeks, more Thai soldiers were injured by landmines as they patrolled areas along the border with Cambodia. Across both rounds of fighting, dozens of Thai soldiers and civilians were killed, while hundreds were injured and thousands were forced to evacuate to shelters.
Source:Bangkok Post
December 30, 2025 00:11 UTC
Anutin seizes opportunity
Anutin seizes opportunityListen to this articleLawmakers congratulate Bhumjaithai Party leader Anutin Charnvirakul on his election as prime minister. At the same time, the BJT reached out to the People’s Party (PP), seeking its support for Mr Anutin to become prime minister. In response, PP leader Natthaphong Ruengpanyawut announced three conditions for backing Mr Anutin. Following negotiations, the PP agreed to endorse Mr Anutin as prime minister. Mr Anutin moved quickly to dissolve the House, a step widely seen as a way to avoid facing an imminent no-confidence debate.
Source:Bangkok Post
December 30, 2025 00:09 UTC
Hun Sen leak topples govt
Hun Sen leak topples govtListen to this articleFormer PM Paetongtarn Shinawatra apologises for the controversy stemming from the leaked recording of her conversation with Cambodian Senate President Hun Sen. Apichart JinakulThe incident came amid heightened tensions along the Thai-Cambodian border in June, during which the administration of former prime minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra was already in a precarious position, struggling to govern under mounting political pressure. It came in the form of a leaked audio recording of a private conversation between Ms Paetongtarn and Cambodian Senate President Hun Sen, which surfaced on June 15. The recording drew widespread public criticism, as Ms Paetongtarn could be heard suggesting to the Cambodian strongman that some Thai officials were not on her side. Following the leak of the recordings, political activists called on Ms Paetongtarn to immediately resign and urged parties in the ruling coalition to withdraw their support for her administration. Around the same time, a group of 36 senators petitioned the Constitutional Court to rule if Ms Paetongtarn should be dismissed as prime minister, under sections 82, 160 and 170 of the constitution.
Source:Bangkok Post
December 30, 2025 00:09 UTC